Breakable ampule with swab

ABSTRACT

A device for applying a predetermined quantity of liquid to a surface, the liquid being contained in a breakable ampule which is substantially cylindrical and enclosed in a flexible and resistant casing closed at one end with an absorbent material, wherein the device comprises a tubular body open at one end, accommodating the ampule and comprising at least two flexible blades formed in its wall, placed substantially opposite each other, each of these blades having at least one tappet facing inward and offset longitudinally with respect to the corresponding tappet of the other blade.

This invention pertains to a device for applying a fluid to a surfaceand more specifically, to a device making it possible to apply apredetermined quantity of a liquid to a surface by coating.

When one wishes to manually apply a relatively limited amount of liquidon to a surface, for example, a few millimeters of a solvent, liquidglue or a varnish, the most simple method consists of using a brush-typeapplicator which is dipped into the liquid to be applied and is nextpassed over the surface to be coated or cleaned so that a film of liquidmay be placed thereon.

This method involves the use of a container holding a relatively largequantity of liquid and involves considerable loss of liquid and anirregular application.

To make it possible to apply a predetermined amount of liquid, it hasbeen proposed to use single doses, for example, in the form of abreakable ampule or a breakable capsule containing a specific quantityof liquid, which is broken in order to spread the liquid on an absorbentsurface or a brush, so that it can be spread over the surface. However,breaking the ampule or capsule containing the liquid is often difficult;it does not always occur at the desired location, and the user can beinjured by contact with debris from the ampule or the liquid released.

British Pat. No. 2,001,285 describes a device for applying a liquidglue, comprising a plunger making it possible to pierce and compress acartridge to cause the glue to issue through an opening blocked by aball. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,132, the liquid to be applied is alsocontained in a plastic cartridge pierced by a tube. These known devices,however, are relatively complex and do not prevent the applicator bywhich the liquid on the surface is to be coated from becoming soiled.

The object of this invention is a device which is simple, inexpensive toproduce and, which makes it possible to easily and safely apply apredetermined amount of a liquid contained in a breakable ampule orbreakable capsule by coating.

The device according to this invention is the type which comprises adose of liquid in a breakable ampule or breakable capsule, and has atubular body which is open at one end accommodating a breakable ampuleor breakable capsule which is essentially cylindrical and enclosed in aflexible, resistant casing, and having in its wall at least two flexibleblades placed essentially opposite each other, with each of these bladeshaving at least one tappet directed towards the inside and offsetlongitudinally with respect to the corresponding tappet of the otherblade.

The flexible blades can advantageously be made by a simple cutout in thetubular body.

The breakable capsule or breakable ampule preferably is in the shape ofa cylinder, extended so that it can be introduced into the tubular bodythrough its open end. It is enclosed in a casing made of flexible andresistant material, of the same essentially cylindrical shape, closed atone end with an absorbent material acting as an applicator wick or pad,which extends outside of the tubular body when the ampule or the capsuleis placed therein.

At its end opposite the opening, the tubular body preferably has apusher, comprised for example of a plunger, which can slide freely alongthe longitudinal axis. This pusher is forced back when the capsule orampule is placed in the tubular body, so that a shaft connected to thepusher protrudes from the tubular body, at its end opposite the opening.This shaft can next be activated to force back the pusher and eject thecapsule or ampule from the tubular body, after which the deviceaccording to the invention is used.

When the capsule or ampule is placed in the tubular body, it forces thetappets and the flexible blades to which they are attached outward. Byexerting pressure on the blades, the tappets, which are pointed and areoffset longitudinally with respect to each other, exert a shearingeffect which causes the ampule to break through the casing, and preventthe casing from sliding outside of the tubular body. The liquid in theampule is thus placed in direct contact with the absorbent materialextending outside of the tubular body.

The device according to the invention, which is comprised of the tubularbody and the casing housing the broken ampule, can then be used as anapplicator brush or pad to place a film of liquid on the surface to betreated. During this operation in which the ampule is broken and theliquid is applied, the user holds the device by the tubular body, whichprevents any risk of injury or contamination from debris from the ampuleor the liquid it contains. In addition, when use is completed, it issufficient to act on the shaft of the pusher to eject the ampule and itscasing without contact with the fingers.

The ampule is preferably made of glass which is resistant to the liquidit contains. The casing can be made of any flexible material resistantenough so that it does not tear under the action of the tappets.Polyethylene, for example, can be used.

The tubular body can be made of a light metal, an alloy or plasticmaterial such as polypropylene, nylon, polystyrene, etc. It can beadvantageous to use a nylon reinforced with glass fibers for the tubularbody, and a harder material, such as polypropylene, for the pusher.

The device according to the invention can be used to apply a liquid to asurface, especially to clean typewriter character using a solvent suchas an alcohol or trichloroethylene. It can also be used to apply aprotective varnish to a surface. Of course, the applicator can bemodified freely depending on the liquid used and the conditions underwhich the device is implemented.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge ingreater detail in the description below of a non-limitative embodiment,with reference to the attached drawings, which show the following:

FIG. 1: a longitudinal cross section of a device broken down accordingto this invention.

FIG. 2: a longitudinal cross section of the device in FIG. 1, housing anampule of liquid in its casing, ready to be used.

FIG. 3: a top view of the device in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the device comprises a tubular body (1) which isessentially cylindrical, open at one end (2). Two flexible blades (3)and (4) are cut out of this cylindrical body (1), with the ends (5) and(6) of the former respectively being free, and each respectively holdinga pointed tappet (7) and (8) molded in the blade material.

The inside of the tubular body (1) has an annular collar (9) whichserves to center and hold the casing enclosing the ampule, which isintroduced through the opening (2).

At its end opposite the ampule (2), the tubular body (1) comprises apusher (10) in the form of a plunger which slides freely along thelongitudinal axis of the tubular body, and whose shaft (11) passesthrough the body (1) at its end. The shaft (11) is topped with a cap(12) which facilitates its action and prevents it from passing out ofthe body (1).

When the ampule is placed in the tubular body (1) through its opening(2), as shown in FIG. 2, it forces back the tpapets (7) and (8) and theblades (3) and (4) which hold them; its centering is ensured by thecollar (9), the position which is provided depends on the size of theampule and its casing and, in the extreme position, it can come to stopagainst the pusher (10). Depending on its size and shape, the ampule isin contact with the pusher (10); under the normal conditions for use, itis nonetheless sufficient for it to be held by the collar (9). The glassampule (13) is enclosed in a flexible and resistant casing (14); its endwhich extends through the opening (2) is closed by an absorbentapplicator (15) pad.

Pressure on the two blades (3) and (4), formed by cutout in the tubularbody (1) as shown in FIG. 3, causes a shearing effect on the ampule (13)through its casing (14) because of the longitudinally offset position ofthe tappets (7) and (8) with respect to each other. The liquid containedin the ampule (13) is then released inside the flexible casing (14) andcomes into contact with the absorbent pad (15) which thus becomessaturated. After use, by acting on the cap (12), the shaft (11) and thepusher (10) are forced back and the broken ampule (13), its casing (14)and the pad (15) are removed.

We claim:
 1. A device for applying a predetermined quantity of a liquidto a surface, said liquid being contained in a breakable ampule (13)which is substantially cylindrical and enclosed in a flexible andresistant casing closed at one end with an absorbent material, whereinsaid device comprises a tubular body (1) open at one end (2),accommodating the ampule (13) and comprising at least two flexibleblades (3) and (4) formed in its wall, placed substantially oppositeeach other, each of these blades having at least one tappet (7) and (8)facing inward and offset longitudinally with respect to thecorresponding tappet of the other blade.
 2. A device according to claim1, characterized in that the flexible blades comprise cutouts in thetubular body.
 3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe ampule (13) or breakable capsule is contained in a flexible andresistent casing (14) which is closed at one end by an absorbentmaterial (15) which extends outside of the tubular body (1) when thebreakable ampule (13) or the breakable capsule is placed therein.
 4. Adevice according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, at itsend opposite the opening, a pusher (10) connected to a shaft (11)protruding outside of the tubular body (1).
 5. A device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the tubular body (1) has on its internalwall an annular collar (9) which makes it possible to center and holdthe casing (14).